Dear POC,

It's Joanne. I know I haven't blogged recently and I have SO much to share, guys. God has stretched me and challenged me SO much this summer. (Feel free to ask me when you see me!)

It's still quite early to say this but as the summer draws to a close, I'm afraid so will our year together as a cell group. However, this is not the end of our time of fellowship together. Whatever you have learned this year, I hope you will carry it on to wherever you may be next year, whether it be to your new cell group in Didomi, to your post-secondary education destination or elsewhere. I'll miss you guys and I KNOW God will bless you in your seconds, minutes, days and years to come, whether you know it or not.

Anyways, before I get all emotional and long-winded, here's what I actually came here to say:

Proverbs 30:5-6

⁵ "Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

⁶ Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Wouldn't it be so cool there was an entire sermon in just bible verses? No added words or interpreted, just literal bible verses. (Just to clarify, this is not to say that rephrasing is wrong. They help explain bible verses and help us understand.) I've written a letter once in just bible verses which was interesting, but quite challenging in terms of finding the verses yourself. Plus, it gets a little messy with all the quotation marks and all that fancy citation. Just a thought.

not by eloquent words...

Hello friends, it has been way too long since I post. I can't believe how long since I have posted here. My apologies everyone - but I also haven't heard from many of you for a very long time. Hope that you are all doing well; especially over the summer holidays.

As I was studying through 1 Corinthians 2 the following words really spoke to me...
When I cam to you brothers, I did not come with eoloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ were not with wise and persuasive words, but with demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
(1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

This passage really struck to me especially because of the ministries that I am involved in. For all the teachers or aspiring teachers of the word this passage is very humbling for us all. It says that we are not to use and go at people with eloquence or superior human wisdom to persuade and enforce people. It isn't by the power of people and their knowledge and wisdom that wins the heart of people but it is by the Spirit of God at work through the lives of people. So how about you today? Do you seek to use the most your own methods or are you really working with the Spirit of God in you to speak and share with people?

May the Spirit of the Lord move in you mightily in every aspects of your life.

Medium is the Message

This quite "Medium is the message" is taken from a guy named Marshall McLuhan. He was actually a futurist in his time and he is someone who's a very influential person in my field of studies; (no not in Theology) but in Semiotics (the studies of signs in culture). But he coined this phrase by saying that the medium (the very things that presents or defines) is sometimes the very message itself. For example: in deciding to drive a particular car such as a Benz it is a medium of transportation. But the brand Benz itself brings about certain kinds of meaning; prestige, wealth...etc.
As I reflect on last week's sermon and the second portion that says that a true messanger must live out the message (Ezek.3:1-3) is very true. The messanger himself/herself may sometimes become the very message. Without an oneness to the message and the gospel in our lives would we not be reduced to become hypocrites?

May you be the medium to the message today.

Walk to remember

John 6:16-21
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

I was reading this passage I've realize that this is a common passage that we've often heard a whole lot about but never really meditate upon this passage much. As I am imagining this passage I wonder what the disciples must have felt when they saw Jesus walking on water. I wonder how fearful they must be seeing someone walking on water; strangely it reminds of scary movies? However it is pretty amazing that when Jesus arrives there was calmness and peace in the midst of the disciples. Isn't it just extremely how the people just felt so calm.
But the question that I kept thinking about is whether or not we would recognize Jesus? When we are in a boat (whether calm or crazy weathered) when Jesus comes, do you think we'll recognize Him? Will we find peace in seeing Him face to face?

Prayer and Ceasars?

After reading Joanne's post it has made me to reflect on prayer some-more... As some of you may know I'm going through one OT and one NT book during my quiet time. I am reading through Luke...

So in the last week I was reading this portion of Luke and something that struck me... something that is not often thought about as a passage that discusses and teaches about prayer. But as I am reflecting on this passage it also challenged me a glimmers of what prayer is about.

Luke 20:20-26
Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. So the spies questioned him: "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
He saw through their duplicity and said to them, "show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?
"Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

What is amazing about this passage is that Jesus is being challenged about His authority and at the same time people were trying to trap Him with a difficult question. But in this we recognize that Jesus is also teaching people that we must render to Caesar (or the world) what is the world and render (give) to God what is God's. As we look at our prayer life... what is it that we are praying for? Are we praying for things that are committed to the things of Caesar? or are we authentically coming before God asking for Him and Him alone? I think our prayer life would be very different when we relinquish the worldly ways in prayer and begin to realize and fixate on the Lord.

May your prayer life be God's and His alone.

Pray, er?

Today during my school fellowship's prayer meeting, I realized that when we pray for other people's prayer requests, we often just repeat what they say. And frankly, there's not really a point in being so redundant. We always say we want to pray for someone's prayer request but we often focus more on the request than the person him/herself. If that was the way to pray for people, then we might as well start each prayer with "Dear God", then coldly read a list of requests and end with "Amen". When we pray, let's pray specifically FOR the individual and try to see what God wants for this person. Pray intentionally to encourage, uplift and with a caring heart. God made us unique and individual, with individual plans for each one of us, so let's pray specifically for the individual.

Come to serve and not be served

Matthew 20:27-28 writes:
"and whatever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransome to many."

I was reflecting on this passage and also reading a book that was speaking on this passage as well. What a challenging passage - that if we want to be first and if we want to be recognized; we need to serve others. I was contemplating how as Christians our lives would influence others? Isn't our influence through service? Think about how you affect and influence people? Is it through your power and how strong you maybe? or is it through the simple acts of love and kindness? Is it more about how you serve and care for something that really shakes up someone's life?
May you have the heart of a servant.

Reflection of love...

The Parable of the Good Samaritan
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, 'what must i do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: "'love the Lord your GOd with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
Then the expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise."

This is the passage that pastor Tim has preached on this sunday. I was reflecting on the last verse of what Jesus has said... "Go and do likewise..." I wonder what the world would be like if we all participated in this kind of loving action? Maybe we should be taking this passage a little more literally and understanding it a little more literally.
May your lives be full of His love and mercy and may our every act be a reflection of that!

Freedom reigns!

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burden again by the yoke of slavery.



In recent reads, I have encountered a book by Francis Chan called The Forgotten God. And in the first chapter of book, he was reminding the readers of the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I found that analogy to be very powerful in describing what it means to be freed. He shares that one day he was questioning his wife whether she had ever wondered what it would be like to be a catepillar? Stange question eh?... but he was then explaining that if you imagine yourself to be a catepillar that crawls around everywhere; up the tree, down the road, etc. However when one day you go to sleep inside this HUGE sleeping bag and the next morning you wake up to be a butterfly. Francis was questioning the idea of what life would be like if we kept thinking we were catepillars where in actuality we are actually butterflies. Would we be crawling around on our wings? Isn't this such a silly picture though?
Now if we acknowledge that Jesus has set up free and the Holy Spirit enables us to live freely. How are we living our lives as one who has freedom in Christ? Are we still stuck within the bondages of the things of our past?

May His freedom be with you each and everyday. May He be the one who sets you free.

Peace be with you

There, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

I was reflecting on this passage after the sermon on Sunday. I was wondering how our lives are really living through this faith. It was something that I was thinking about... how is our lives really a reflection of this kind of peace that God has lavish unto us? And how is our faith in Him has really brought this peace onto our lives.

Again I am reminded of an old song that I have sang growing up...
Peace is flowing like a river,
Flowing out through you and me,
Spreading out into the desert,
Setting all the captives free.

Why is this peace one that sets the captives free? And how is it that our lives become the instrument of peace that flows like a river into the most desert places?

May His peace be with you, evidently through your life, your words, your thoughts.

Man in the Mirror

Hi all, I just finished reading Bern's most recent reflections on the Beatles song so I was inspired to do a song study too! Turns out I'm not going to because the song I chose was a horrible song. This song is "Man in the Mirror" sung by Michael Jackson. At first, it seems like a pretty innocent song. I mean, it IS about helping others and it says that in order to make a change in the world, one must start with him/herself, hence "the man in the mirror".

But the more you hear into it, the ideas for helping people is very self-reliant. What's missed here is the recognition that God is in control. Any change that you want to do won't happen unless God allows it. Have a sense of humility when serving! One thing I noticed while collecting donations at school is that sometimes there's a sense of pride when donating. There shouldn't be this attitude of superiority. People should be donating out of love, not because it's going to make them "feel real good"! I'm sort of disappointed in this song. It's really catchy, but the lyrics and the way the song is presented is so that it'll make people feel good about making change. We should be starting with Jesus first and making change according to God's will! I don't think we should be "starting with the man in the mirror" (ourselves), unless of course, the man we're looking at is Jesus.

All you need is love

Matthew 22:37-40
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

Was reflecting on the idea of love and most likely because I had just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan and also listened to one of his sermons. I was contemplating what the world would be if everyone ACTUALLY live out these two commandments and followed it to the T; how would the world that we are living in be different?
The 70s band The Beetles wrote a song that says "All you need is love..." is that not true to an extend? that all we need is love. If we know of His love; a sacrifice, graceful, authoritative kind of love... if we responded in only with the perspective of love... if we acted upon only with the mindset of love... if love is all we need... if love is all we had... if love is only there... if love...
What would the world look like today?

But... its soooo not fair!

For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idel in the marketplace, and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you. So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idel all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too,' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no worng. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first and the first last. (Matthew 20:1-19)

Is it not true that when we read this we often take on the master's perspective - seeing with the lenses of "hey... it is my money I can do whatever... and who's to say what fair is before the plentiful God..." But consider the missional implication of these words. The last will be first and the first will be last... and the questions of "why do you with idle hands?" Is that not true of today? That we have people and friends and even nations that are with idle friends. If the master is one who invites all to come work at his vineyard; shall not we too when noticing people of idle hands to tell our master and to have them invited into the vineyard. Or are we just so stuck on ourselves (like those first workers) who are unable to celebrate the fullness of their communities work?

Warning against hypocrites

Matthew 15:1-9
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father and mother must surely die.' But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrities! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

Jesus pierces the hearts of the Pharisees and challenges their holding onto the traditions. Empty traditions that leds people down a path of legalism may cause them to be further away from God; even if these tradition seems to be godly ones. Consider how you hold onto your traditions; have they replace the very teachings and the heart of God? Have empty traditions become more of a idolatrous lifestyle as opposed to a holy and sanctified living?

Encouragement from Peter

I was listening to a sermon recently and this was the passage that was spoken on :)
I hope that it will minister to you as it had minister to me.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

... to serve as a sign among you...

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight... to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

This passage always fascinates me. Partially I always wonder where the 12 stones are today? But I think what is so amazing is that this passage is a reminder to remember. The Israelites after crossing the Jordan was to pick up twelve stones as a reminder for them of how God had led them and helped through cross the Jordan. This is a pivital life change in the lives of these travelling Israelites. These stones were not special in anyways nor are they idols to worship but these stones are set as a reminder of who God is and His provision for the Israelites. I wonder in our lives where have we set these twelve stones? and what are the things that we set in place that helps us remember God? Maybe after God has led you through difficult situations - what is something that will help you remember Him? Or maybe God provided such abudance of blessings, how or what can we set to remember Him?

Yay!

█ ♥ █ Canada beat the US in hockey! Yay! (And we got gold, that's nice too).

Keep this...

This week I have journeyed onwards and past Deuteronomy we step into the story of Joshua, another big name in the scriptures...

I want to share this passage from Joshua 1 and found it very impactful especially onto our daily walks and our daily decision making.
Joshua 1:8a writes:
"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it."

Very simple phrase that God has descended upon Joshua. Now consider this you may speak and say that wow! Joshua is this awesome general of this massive army that is fully backed up by God. You may also say but Joshua's mentor was Moses; he taught him everything he knows. But notice what God had said to Joshua... keep this book of the law always on your lips; that the sweet flavour of the His words be constantly be close to his mouth to ingest and receive and to be filled by it... meditate on it day and night; let those very words be something that fills you constantly so that you may always and continually be thinking, wrestling, reflecting, dialoguing, praying through the words... so that you maybe careful to do everything written in it; God's desire for the laws is not to set boundaries but to enable us to live freely within the purposes and the designs. What beautiful words of reminder in our lives. Friends, Joshua was once a young lad not knowing where to go, not sure what he is doing, feeling that he is too young. But at the same time he grew not only in physical features but also spiritually. God indeeds has called upon him to live with such desire for His words.
Now... how about you?

*ps. I will get around to the questions... I promise :)

The "Me" Generation

Unfortunately, this is what we are. It's all about what people think of the individual, preferably if it's ourselves. We crave attention and we like being very affectionate towards each other, even if it's just out of pure vanity.

It's ironic, really. Here we are trying so hard to stand out in a crowd when what we're really doing is conforming to the rest of society. We make bad jokes like calling others stupid or being as loud as we can so everyone can hear us. We're so desperate for attention that we're willing to do anything for just short-lived praise.

I think this happens most often when we lose sight of God's love. We forget how precious we are to him, so we crave attention from other sources. Why do we even need to be loved? I would say that it's very self-seeking but at the same time, it's actually quite sad. How can such beautiful people that God loves so much feel the need to be adored and feel the need to prove themselves? When we forget that God loves us and other people, we don't see all the wonderful things that God has done for us and the ways he works through people. Anyways, this is all. I was just reflecting on the pathetically desperate lyrics that appear so often in songs.

Encouragement from Moses to Joshua

I've always found these verses to be super encouraging; to be able to have someone who is more wiser to extend their blessings onto the younger. I hope that you take notice of what Moses is teaching and assuring Joshua (who is a new leader at the moment)...

Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: "I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, 'You shall not cross the Lord.' The Lord your God himself will corss over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said. And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the Kings of Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. The Lord will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I hav ecommanded you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, 'Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

I think sometimes in our lives we are often tossed into situations where we may feel very alone as we struggle. Sometimes we may feel that we are the only voice to speak out and the only one that is taking a stance for something. But I found this verse very encouraging to me during those time that Moses helps Joshua recognize and remember about God and not so much about himself. It was God who has sustained Moses and it will be God who will sustain Joshua in his works. The verse "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you..." illustrate the depth of the promise that God has for His people.
May it be the same for you in whichever and whatever situation that you may be going through.